lawful

[law-fuhl] / ˈlɔ fəl /

ADJECTIVE

allowable, legitimate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

authorized constitutional justifiable legal permissible proper rightful statutory valid

WEAK

bona fide canonical card-carrying commanded condign decreed due enacted enforced enjoined established innocent judged judicial jural juridical jurisprudent just kosher legalized legislated legit legitimatized licit mandated of right official on the level on the up and up ordained ordered passed protected ruled vested warrantable warranted

Antonyms

STRONGEST

illegal illegitimate incorrect unacceptable wrong

WEAK

illicit prohibited taboo unlawful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Justice Department has defended the initiative as a lawful settlement mechanism, but federal courts have already paused parts of the program as legal challenges proceed.

From Salon • May 31, 2026

Both men denied the charge and said they had acted in lawful self-defence, or in defence of the other.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

They can examine whether the fund itself is lawful as a predicate to deciding whether the individual should get relief.

From Slate • May 22, 2026

The company had refused to agree to the Defense Department’s demand to allow its technology to be deployed for “all lawful uses.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away.

From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

Vocabulary lists containing lawful

A Just Cause: Synonyms for "Fair"

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Ten Words related to Citizenship

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You Are Correct! Synonyms for "Right"

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